Genesis of the Barra Streea
by Serifin
Summary: You have heard the stories of renegade drow fighting for the betterment of the world. Now read the story of a renegade fighting for something a bit more drow like. [first five chapters up, updates weekly or biweekly]
1. Chapter 1

Anoroth stood in Sereph's training room in the city of Shar'ill'orbb'aress, looking over the weapons and the trinkets in the room as he waited for the elderboy of the De'Faeror family to finish his training kata and address the adopted mage. He wore robes of black and purple, common for mages that wanted to keep up the appearance of fealty to the Spider Queen, though they had no cowl or hood, which was odd for any magic practitioner. The sleeves were tight about his arms, allowing minimal interference in his spell casting but also taking away the advantage of at hand spell ingredients because he had no pockets there. Everything about him seemed to be small, especially his head and face, though not in proportion to the rest of his body. He often said he did it to himself, so that his enemies would underestimate him. He kept his hair cut short in the back, and long enough in the front to push back and come to the end of his hair growth.

He had once been part of House Nizzberan, which had been eradicated in its attempt to destroy the second house. As one of the few survivors, his identity was hidden and changed and he was brought into the first family by the Matron mother Tallil De'Faeror. He quickly made it clear he was a superior mage compared to his new "brothers" and was appointed to the elderboy and weapons master as his personal tutor in the ways of the Weave.

He was trying to decipher some runes on a long sword that appeared to be made of obsidian. The design of the runes was somewhat comparable to drow glyphs, but when he translated it to drow it came out as nothing but gibberish. Moving over to a glass case, he saw something that looked completely out of place in the room, a small stringed instrument.

It was undeniably beautiful, though to a drow such beauty was useless. The body and neck were made from a dark red colored wood, and even though it was unlaquered the wood shone with a luster worthy of a dueragar breastplate. The entire instrument appeared to be made of one piece of wood, even the turning pegs showed no evidence of having ever not been a part of the rest. That, added to the whispyness of every edge and ending, especially the tuners, and the intricate carvings of vines throughout the wood, coming into bloom as they neared the neck.

As Anoroth stared at it, wondering what its purpose might be, he heard a voice telling him to take it. Quickly determining it was telepathic, he didn't bother looking around for the source, simply scrutinized the instrument more. Perhaps Sereph was playing with him; it was well known he dabbled in all sorts of magic already, including the magic of the mind. The calling continued, and the pull that came with it suddenly intensified as a burst of energy from the glass case made him realize the true source of the voice and he took a quick step back and murmured to himself, "An imprisoned demon? In an instrument from the surface?"

"Ingenious, isn't it? I rather like the idea of an entity of evil residing in a symbol of goodness from the realm of light."

Anoroth turned quickly and bowed to the elderboy of the De'Faeror's, who continued his lecture without notice of the ritual. As he spoke, he touched the glass with one of rings and the demonic calling stopped.

"The demon feeds off of the Weave through users of it. Nasty little beast for your kind, it required the archmage of the city and half the masters of the fighters school to capture it. And it is not an imprisonment spell, it is a maze. The creature may escape by himself at any moment."

"Isn't that a bit reckless?" Anoroth said, as intrigued as he was afraid. Before he could continue his thought, Sereph's foot hit him hard in the stomach, hard enough to throw the mage to the ground and completely use up his physical defense spell.

"No blood? Oh of course, you mages and your spells. Do not forget who you are talking to, or you will find your own 'recklessness' much more severely punished."

Stunned, Anoroth realized what he had just said to Sereph De'Faeror. Implying that a member of the ruling family was careless! He must be going insane. Before he had regained enough wits to flip over to his stomach, laying himself prostrate at Sereph's feet, the fighter was already talking again.

"Of course, it would do no good to keep the thing if I could not use it, so I had _this _made." Sereph pulled a stick about the length of his upper arm out of a drawer underneath the instrument. This was much more drow like in its design and material, adamantine from the look of it, and had a curious string running across its inner surface. On the outer edge was a wicked looking blade, the perfect size for the weapon master's preferences, from what Anoroth had heard.

"This is what the accursed surface elves call a 'bow.' I have named it Invoker. You draw it across the string of the violin, the instrument, to release the music, and in this case the demon as well." Anoroth had stood and was admiring the piece of work from a respectful distance by this time. "I had it made and then enchanted with a freedom spell, and can use it to release the demon. My idea, of course." He replaced Invoker in the drawer and turned to the dishelved mage. "Now you are?"

Anoroth could not his look of surprise. It was odd enough for a drow to so fully explain the workings of their personal magic objects with your abbill, much less a complete stranger. Regaining his control as only a mage could, he replied steadily, "I am Anoroth De'Faeror, top wizard of the first house of Shar'ill Orbb'Aress,"

"Yes, yes yes. Spare me the pleasantries 'brother," he said the last word with a twisted smile and dripping sarcasm, "believe me when I say you have all the respect I owe you, and your position in our house." Anoroth noted the insult but ignored the expected reaction. "Now why are you here?"

"I am to be your personal tutor in the ways of the Weave, as assigned by your Mother," Anoroth replied to the impatient elderboy.

"She is the Matron Mother, and you will address her as such, "Sereph retorted, back handing the mage to accentuate the point. "Now if you are done reeling, we must cut this first lesson short as I have other training later on. You have three hours, make good use of them. I expect improvement daily," Sereph finished as he removed his chainmail, swords, and other armaments that would stop him from manipulating the Weave.


	2. Chapter 2

"Matron, is it wise to have the elderboy and weapons master of our house learn magic as well? If his power gets out of hand, he may…"

The Matron Mother cut the head mage of her house off with a wave of her hand and a glare. "Are you questioning me, Trium? Are your arguments based on concern for family or your own power?" The Matron Mother of the first house of Shar'Ill Orbb'Aress, Tallil De'Faeror, was a deceivingly skinny priestess, who hid her very well toned and battle ready body beneath layers of flowing robes adorned with symbols of her deity, Lolth the Spider Queen.

Trium, who was quite stocky for a male, much less a mage, was a head shorter than most drow, and wore only the most common of magical accessories and clothing. If you were looking for evidence of the gender difference in this drow city, you need look no farther than he. Even as the Matron's current lover, and even though he had given her three daughters, he was treated as little more than a common mage. "Of course not Matron, I merely remark on the lessons of the past," he replied to his leader's angry questioning.

He was answered in turn with a kick from Tallil's strong right leg, catching his chin and sending him tumbling down the stairs. Calmly readjusting her robes, the Matron asked again, "Do you question me, Trium?"

"No, Matron." Trium replied, nursing his jaw and picking up a tooth.

"Then leave. I have no need for you tonight," Tallil said as another male Trium did not recognize stepped out of the shadows behind him, naked.

Trium walked out of the room holding his chin, putting his teeth in his pocket. He would have one of his daughters reattach them later. He was obviously unhappy from the scowl he wore, but wisely kept his complaints to himself.

"Who is she to harp about worrying for your position? I myself had to kill more than my share of her offspring that got to uppity. And attacking me for such a slight! I could ruin her with the secrets I know of her and this family, I could topple the De'Faeror reign with an utterance!"

He continued to think angrily, half heartedly mulling over plans to take down the structures around him as he walked through them, choosing to ignore the obvious flaw in his anger fueled plans, if the De'Faeror's fell, he went with them. He turned a corner and went to elbow a passing drow until he noticed she was wearing the robes of a priestess. Bowing his head in respect he stepped to the side to allow her passage.

"Such dangerous thoughts in your mind this day Trium, should I have you punished or sent to the Pits of the Crippled?" the priestess asked him, looking entertained.

"Dangerous thoughts? I know not of what you speak, Priestess," Trium replied, not looking up for fear of angering the high strung mind reader more.

"Come male, we'll discuss this were I can be more convincing, since you don't seem to believe me," the priestess said, continuing her walk.

Thoughts flooded Trium's mind. To a priestesses quarters? Had he been out of Tallil's favor for so long that her daughters were moving in to claim him? Or was he really about to be punished for his thoughts? He looked up as he followed silently, and noticed immediately the mark of a spider displayed by a hole in the dress the priestess was wearing, between her shoulder blades. Relief flooded through him, though certainly not visibly.

When they went through the threshold into the priestesses' private quarters and had said the prayers to Lolth, she closed the door and they embraced. "Is mother being impossibly again, Father?"

"Yes, she seems to have misinterpreted my worry for the house yet again, Clarissa."

"Well I certainly hope it was more genuine in her audience chamber than it was in the hall. You're lucky I ran into you."

Trium smiled at his fortune, for if he had run into any of the other priestesses and they had scanned his mind with their vicious snake headed whips, he would have been executed on the spot, without question. Yet again he was glad he took a personal interest in this daughter. She had wanted to learn a few useful and simple dwomers early in her education, so naturally the houses head wizard had been assigned as her tutor. As he taught her, he sensed an innate weakness in her, one h could exploit easily and to great benefit. She was gullible, and easily enchanted. As he taught her the dewomers the Matron had ordered, he used techniques mastered at the schools to instill loyalty in her, loyalty to her father. With a few supplementing enchantments, she was his, a priestess under the suggestive control of a mage. A disgruntled mage, none the less.

"Yes, very lucky indeed," he said, his smile still intact, "But now that I have calmed down so considerably from seeing my lovely daughter, I must continue on to check on our newest mage and his progress with your brother."

A scowl crossed Clarisssa's face at the mention of Sereph, the only male offspring of Tallil De'Faeror, and a prominent figure in their household; publicly anyway. It was this prominence that angered the priestesses and High Priestesses, of which there were four and eight respectively. The holy women were a statistic, while this male was known by name even in the lowest reaches of the city. They were all angered by it, but what was more infuriating was how painfully aware of it Sereph was, and how he continued to increase that prominence.

With a scowl she answered, "Yes, of course father. I will talk to Tallil."

"You are most kind priestess," Trium said, opening the door and walking out. Clarissa watched him leave, getting off of her couch to walk over to a small chalice made of onyx. Picking it up and taking a sip of the contents, she dropped the chalice to the ground and the dark liquid spilled out, as her tongue and throat started to spasm and convulse, quickly spreading to her entire body.

Trium went first to the weapons room, expecting the over zealous Sereph to be training either with or without Anoroth. He was surprised to find the circular room empty. After looking at the weapons on the wall for a moment, many of which he had enchanted himself, he left and started towards Sereph's personal room. Sereph opted to keep it to allow the previous Weapons Master to continue living next to the training room. The older drow, still quite capable of combat, was able to take the more mundane responsibilities of the position, like teaching basic combat. He was also the last sparring partner Sereph had in the household, something he was not willing to lose unless it was in a match.


	3. Chapter 3

On his way to find Sereph, he ran into Anoroth, moving the other way. Mentally checking that his magical defenses were in place and the words to a quick stun spell ready to fly from his lips if needed, Trium stopped the other mage. "Is there anything to report?" He waved to have Anoroth Turn and follow the older mage, more as an annoyance than a necessity.

Anoroth turned and followed, after bowing to his direct superior. "Yes. Sereph is gifted in the ways of the mageand could have easily been quite a gifted magic user. His prior knowledge of the—" he said until he was cut off by Trium.

"Do not think me so stupid I do not already know about our Elderboys history in the arts!" Trium said sharply, turning to face the other mage in the deserted hallway. He reached over to the wall and traced a glyph that was carved in the stone. Magic washed over the pair, familiar to any drow. They were now magically silenced and invisible to everyone except each other. Trium continued, using the complicated hand signs of the drow. "Now tell me about his present, and his future," he signed to Anoroth.

Raising his hands to chest level, Anoroth replied, "He is interested more in theory than actual spells. The lesson was, for the most part, me answering questions he had about shaping the Weave, and the different schools of magic. He was quite keen on getting good explanations about how those two subjects rlated as well. He was quite intuitive and seemed already to know the answers I gave, but wanted confirmation that he was correct. As examples about shaping the weave, I taught him a drain spell as well as magic missle, and he specifically requested to learn physical harmony in tomorrows lesson."

"Physical harmony is a religious spell, Anoroth."

"Yes, I informed him of that. He told me to learn to cast it, find a priestess to teach him it, or learn how to cast spells with one less finger."

"Ah, so he is serious then. Very well, let us go to the library and see if we can't find a way to use that spell," Trium did well to hide his smile as he thought of how alike the only other powerful male in the family was to himself.For years he had been trying to convert religious spells into arcane ones, or develop equivalent spells, but dared not talk of it to anyone. Of course, his Clarissa had helped quite a bit, but to find two other research partners in one day was amazing. Though, the thought of his now chief rival with a finger or two less was no less amusing.

The pair continued the way they had been going, not bothering to dispel the enchantments. Going down two flights of stairs and then into a downward sloping tunnel, the two ended up in what was called the hall of magi. All the houses various magic oriented rooms were located along this hallway, with the exception of the scrying chamber and chapel, located at the top of the tower. They entered the library room, one of the doors on the right.

It was what you would expect from a library, solitary candles at reading stations, scrolls and tomes of all kinds of parchment scattered on half organized shelves. In this room was public knowledge of the arcane and the divine magics, such as Tallil allowed in the house. Anoroth set out to find a description of the physical harmony spell, while Trium pulled his collection of relevant scrolls out of his personal storage. They sat across from each other, changing their sight into the light spectrum, and starting to converse on possibilities.

0000

While the mages were researching, Sereph was off doing his own research. Besides being the weapons master of the first house, he was also the head assassin. It was for this highly enjoyable duty that he had cut his first lesson with Anoroth short. He had already left the house through one of the underground passages that led out to the middle class houses of the cavern city. He was wearing his assassination cloak, both a disguise and a marker. To most drow, it made him appear as a common male from a low house, above only slaves. But to those who watched the first house's activities, it marked him clearly as the elderboy gone out for some fun, for he wore the same cloak for every assassination he had ever been a part of.

As he walked down the road, keeping in character by bowing to passing nobles that would normally have to bow to him, he gathered his thoughts about Anoroth. The newest De'Faeror arcanist was far from inexperienced and had been quite the accomplished battle mage, focusing his studies on evocation, summoning, and related necromancy. He was not young, coming up on his third century. He was also not stupid. Sereph had prepared both textbook and philosophical questions for his would be tutor, and they had been, respectively, correct and profound, and his talk of the Weave very easy for Sereph to grasp as it was not technical, but thoughtful. He had been able to teach Sereph spells, not to learn them so much as to better understand the proper way to control the Weave. Quickly Sereph realized that he would come to like Anoroth quickly.

The thought was a it odd, and he decided to set it aside until he had time to decide what he wanted to do about it. In the mean time, he was coming up on his target. The house of a teacher at the fighters school, who proclaimed himself to be a stronger fighter than even the De'Faeror weapon's master. Sereph never let a chance to have some fun get away. The house was the thirty second in the city of hundreds, so the occupants were assumed to be higher ranked scum. Sereph had not bothered to investigate the house or his would be superior other than finding out when he would be in the house. He was underestimating his opponent, often a fatal mistake. A wicked grin spread across his scarf covered face.

Sereph wanted his opponent to have every advantage.


	4. Chapter 4

Clarissa knelt in front of her mother's throne, along with the other priestesses of the family. She was one of the four priestesses of Lolth, all of which were aligned in front of the eight family High Priestesses, who bowed to their matron. The twelve sisters were envied throughout the city, for while they were not the most numerous in it they were certainly the most powerful. Eight of them were actually the blood daughters of Tallil De'Faeror, and the other four were adopted nobles from botched attacks on other houses of the city. They had survived the attack, condemned the enemy house, and were taken in to feed the power of the De'Faeror house.

"Yes yes enough of that, get up already. Were is Sereph?" tallil said from her throne, tapping the polished onyx of the armrest. She aimed this question to the back corner, where Anoroth and trium were rising from their stomachs.

"I am not certain, Matron Tallil," Anoroth began, choosing his words carefully as to not arise the ire of either the Matron or the Weapon's Master, "But I believe he said something about going to answer a challenge from a melee Magthere instructer."

A few of the priestesses, Clarissa among them, scowled at the mention of their brother. They watched the matron's reaction to see if he would be punished, and were dismayed to see just her usual scowl.

"Very well, he will have to miss out on his more enjoyed duties then. I want the head of Sorcere dead, by the end of the next two fortnights. Sense our assassin is out on personal business, Trium, you will go in his place." Tallil said, lacing her fingers as she addressed her family.

Trium was shocked. He had done the occasional assassination, to be sure, but the Master of the wizards school? That was a hefty order. Trium could not even be sure he could take the mage, an eight hundred year old drow that was refuted to be in league with demons for constant protection. He looked at the Matron and stammered, "Ma…Matron, sureley it can wait for Sereph's return?"

He was answered by the hissing of the twelve priestesses snake headed whips, but stood by his question. Such an important target deserved the attentions of a professional. He thought this strongly enough for it to be one of the only things that the priestesses could pick out of his mind.

"Yes, he is an important target. But if you are to replace him you had better be able to best him in a contest such as this, especially when you get to choose the circumstances of his demise," Tallil said, "Now go, prepare, and finish the deed within two fortnights. Leave."

Trium turned briskly and walked out of the chamber, rushing to his room, already compiling the spells he would need, and telepathically telling one of his apprentices to scry the school for information about the Master of Sorcere. He was in for a busy few fortnights, to be sure, but the ultimate result was very much to his liking.

Clarissa and the other three priestesses stood and they all circled their mother's throne. Arms spread towards each other with palms outward, the priestesses began the familiar ritual chant to Lolth, asking the Spider Queen to shower her blessings on the aging female drow. Anoroth stood against the wall, watching intently as the light spread from the eldest high priestess throughout the daughters. The light materialized in front of their palms as a bluish, translucent spark, and intensified to a blinding white as the elder sister's light arced around the circle, connecting them all. Suddenly the light shot from each of the sisters, who all shrieked and convulsed, arching their backs and heaving their chests forward. Tallil, the target and recipient

of the light, shrieked in return as the energy entered her slender frame.

Anoroth watched, memorizing the chant and comparing it to arcane power transfer seplls. He noticed a similar structure to the rhythm and pattern, but other than that he could make no other connections. He had only a day to learn that spell and keep all of his fingers. His attention was torn back to the center of the room as Tallil's chest heaved. He was playing a dangerous game staying during the Holy Ritual, but he had been given no instruction to leave. Whether the Matron would give him orders or if he would be sent out of the room by thirteen angry women of Lolth, he had no guess.

The matron sat back in her throne, her head rolling and her muscles contracting spasmatically, while her daughters moved back to the front of the room. Anoroth stood, watching as they took her practiced and expertly mastered steps and awaited the words of their Matron Mother. He also took note of the vicious glare Clarissa sent his way. Finally tallill had straightened in the throne.

"Anoroth, you will attend to your studies with Sereph, considering it of the utmost importance. Do what he asks you, and should you need any…help, ask Tatherain. She will help when she has the time." Tallil said, standing and moving towards the back door. Anoroth and the priestesses, taking the hint, stood and left through the main door back to their daily business. As he left, Anoroth was stopped by Tatherain.

The tall priestess wore a seemingly everpresent suit of chainmail armor, with a round shield and a mace on her back and side. Her personalized symbol of Lolth was emblazoned on everything she wore, as well as the crown she kept in her shield. It was rumored the crown increased her divine powers and could render her invisible in both the heat and the light spectrums, but sapped her strength quite a bit. She was one of the blood daughters of Tallil, and Clarissa's full sister. Tatherain highly disapproved of Clarissa's unusual attatchment to her father, and was often at ends with her fellow priestess. Anoroth kept all this in mind as she began to speek to him.

"I am forced to offer you my services as one of my duties to attain High Prestess, so tell me what you need and be quick about it male!" she said in a highly aggravated tone.

"Of course, priestess," Anoroth said, bowing, "I do have a problem. Sereph wishes to learn "Harmony Therapy, or a spell to that effect, but I know of no such enchantment." Anoroth stopped, waiting for Tatherain's response and reaction to the request.

The priestess simply crossed her strong arms across her chest, eyeing the mage. "You seek a way to cast divine spells through your…Weave? It cannot be done. It is Lolth's will that grants our magic. None but a priestess trained in Arach-Tinilith can invoke Lolth's spells," she said impatiently, though her face betrayed that she was slightly intrigued.

"Could there be some way to create a similar spell through the weave?" Anoroth asked in reply.

"You're the mage, I do not concern myself with inferior means of spellcasting," Tatherain said, looking impatient again.

"Very well. If you can cast it I might be able to do something with it," Anoroth returned, letting some excitement creep into his voice.

"Yes I know it. Come, I have other business to attend to so this needs to be done now." As Tatherain finished she began walking down the hall with Anoroth in tow. After less than a minute she stopped and opened a door to an empty room. "in here."

"Yes, priestess," Anoroth said, following her into the room. "One moment please, allow me to cast a memory enhancing spell, so you will only need to cast once," Anoroth said, and without waiting for an answer began to recite the arcane words and make the appropriate hand signals around his eyes. As he finished those eyes took on a dull white glow.

"I am starting now," Tatherain said as she took a position in the middle of the room. She spread her feet to a little farther than shoulder length apart and bent her knees slightly. With her hands she outlined the spider symbol of Lolth on her breast, and started to chant, loud enough for Anoroth to hear.

Queen of Spiders to slay your enemies I require

These others to be as one with me,

Synchronize or minds greatest of Goddesses

Allow our unity that I might cause chaos in your name!

Of course the words themselves did little for Anoroth. He did not plead to a goddess for his power, but manipulated and used a greater power to his own ends. Much more drow like, in his opinion. When he cast a spell, his words and movements were to catch or lure the Weave energy, to shape it, and then expel it on his target. He felt the wavering pattern of energy, and created a ripple in it. He could feel that power fluctuate when he used it. With a divine spell there was no such feeling. Or so he thought.

Tatherain had continued her hand signs while Anoroth was analyzing and comparing, and with a slight flourish she finished. Suddenly Anoroth felt a powerful tug in the Weave as it's energy was forced towards the priestess. Its concentration rose and fell like waves on a lake, fluctuating to her gestures and words, but after she had finished them. That was the difference!

The spell finished and a blue greenish aura fell over the mage and the priestess.

"Well, are we done here?" Tatherain said, standing straight again.

Anoroth smiled, and answered, "Yes, we are finished. I've learned quite enough."

Tatherain nodded and walked out. Anoroth continued smiling as he walked out after her, turning the other way in the hall. He had learned much, certainly now he would keep his fingers. Whats more, now there were far more options open to him. He could cast divine spells, as long as he was able to see them first. In a world where magic was used as a third arm, especially among the clergy, Anoroth was not worried about getting a limited amount of spells to work with.


	5. Chapter 5

Standing in the pool of drow blood he had just made out of the fountain in the middle of the Temple of Lolth, Sereph slid the 31st house's fourth best fighter off the end of his long sword. Three others stood in a semicircle around their weapons master. None were impressively dressed or armed, all wielding a rectangular shield covering their bodies from neck to midthigh. The weapons master was wearing a set of splint mail armor and holding a two handed greatsword. Sereph, still wearing his cloak cowl and scarf, simply reset himself with his right leg set behind and left in front, aligning his heels into a right angle. His right arm, wielding the longsword, swung up behind him and stopped over his head, the blade sloped down over his body pointed at the small group that had gathered to oppose the assassin.

"What house so boldy goes against a Master of melee-magthere and Weapons master of the 31st house?" the greatsword wielding drow asked defiantly. When he received no answer, no movement from the intruder, he ordered his guard foreward. The group advanced cautiously, slouched enough to guard almost their entire bodies. The Weapons Master heaved up his greatsword.

While they advanced, Sereph couldn't help but wonder why everyone he had to deal with today was so arrogant, and in this case stupid. A frontal attack on an unknown assassin that had ambushed you could not be described as anything else. His position did not change as his foes advanced, nor did it change when an explosion disintegrated the shield bearers feet and legs, but he did move when his target was knocked off balance by the subsequent shockwave.

Darting forward, Sereph thrust his sword ahead of him and scored a hit on the drows shoulder, which was turned aside by one of the plates in his armor. His amazing speed allowed him three more hits before the Weapons Master could bring his greatsword to bear, barely blocking a fourth strike.

Both opponents hopped back, and the Weapons Master struck quickly with a horizontal strke that cut clean through Sereph's sword as he dodged backwards. The assassin went into a sidelong roll as the greatsword swung around behind the much larger fighter, coming down in the powerful overhead swing. The rock was smashed where the greatsword hit, but the target was off to his right now. He turned his body as he pulled up the sword and watched the figure kneeling, unmoving, before him. The tattered black cloak covered him entirely, but the cowl had fallen off, and his long, white hair fell about his shoulders, framing his face, which was still covered with a scarf. The eyes though, the eyes were filled with a calm ferocity, the eyes of a deep panther stalking a rothe. This assassin was toying with him, but it was the assassin who was on his knees now!

With sudden, fear driven intensity, the weapons master rushed the kneeling assassin, holding his blade over his right shoulder for a final, powerful blow. In the final moment before the blade struck, the kneeling drows cloak billowed out. The assassin pierced his opponents sword with a fighting knife, pushing it forward and crashing it to the ground. With a fierce jerking motion the assassin cut up through the sword, and then sent it back down to crash through the weakened sword, breaking it in half. He then rose quickly, both hands holding two fighting knives in his hands. With two steps forward he cut open the Weapons Master's neck. He cut off the hilt and cross guard of the greatsword and put it in his cloak.

Turning to the gurgling dying drow, he said, "Sereph is your better, and still the strongest Weapons Master in the cavern of Shar'Ill Orbb'Aress." Even dying, the Weapons Master found enough energy to widen his eyes at the name of his killer.

0000

Jiv'Undis Mal'Rak, the Matron Mother of the second house in the city, sat upon her floating disc of magical energy and was escorted by fifty of her finest warriors, as well as her three daughters, high priestesses all. As she went down the street, chatting to her eldest daughter about the upcoming meeting and its possible outcomes, the croud of slaves and drow parted to make passage for the powerful entourage. They made their way to the northernmost part of the city, away from the southern cliff that was Shar'Ill Orbb'Aress' first line of defense.

As they made the turn into the final avenue that led to the De'Faeror complex, fifteen guards stopped their passage. Ten were fighters, eight armed with sword and shield, two with large pole arms. Three were mages, and the last two were priestesses. The front shieldsman addressed the head guard, undaunted by the size of the force or the emblem on the entourage.

"State your business, and your family name and position," he said, his shield held forward and his sword at the ready behind his head.

The entourage stopped and the lead guard answered in a tone only achieved through rehersal. "We are of house Mal'Rak, the second in the city. Our Matron Mother seeks an emergency audience with Matron Mother Tallil De'Faeror of the first house, and that business is enough for males of either of our standing."

The De'Faeror priestesses looked at each other, then nodded and waved for their group to part. One priestess walked to the center of the group of Mal'Rak drow. She bowed to the floating Matron, holding out a seal of the first household.

"This will allow you passage into the complex, and will shatter shortly afterwards. It will only allow five in, so choose well. Your other soldiers shall be offered refreshments and a mage awaits at the entrance of the main complex to show you around," the priestess informed the Matron.

Jiv'Undis nodded, taking the emblem as they continued down the avenue. They passed by contingents of De'Faeror soldiers of increasing size, all of whom kept the way clear for them. If someone made it past the first gropu of guards unbloodied and without a noise, they were allowed entry into the De'Faeror complex.

When they approached the entrance to the main complex, home of the nobles and upper classes of the common army, the troupe stopped. The dividing line was marked by two statues of basilisks, giant lizards that roamed the wild Underdark with vision that turned any living creatures to stone. Rumors say that the pair was part of a group that attacked Sereph's patrol. He was running point for the squad, and tricked these two into petrifying each other, thinning the numbers to allow his group victory.

These rumors were discounted by the singular fact that basilisks rarely travel in packs. Also the only causalties in the attack were two of Sereph's key rivals at the time, leading many to suspect he had led them into a cunning trap. In any case, Sereph brought back the stone creatures and backed up the stories. Now they served as the guardians of the sanctum, turned into golems and still retaining their petrifying vision.

The preset group of five stepped forward, the captain of the guard, the Matron and the three priestesses. Jiv'Undis held the emblem and hovered forward without hesitating. Not showing her fear of the threat of treatury everpresent in drow society was key to maintaining her matronship. They passed through the statues and the emblem glowed and then shattered, but the basilisks didn't move.

"Greetings Matron Jiv'Undis. I am Trium, head mage of the house of Demien Faeraxxolen. I will escort you to the Matron Tallil's chamber," Anoroth greeted the troupe, bowing deeply. He did well to hid his annoyance at this duty, one that was taking precious time away from his preparation.

"Good. I am sure you will be taking us on the route that best shows off your home, but my business is urgent and I would prefer you keep the sightseeing to a minimum, Trium," Jiv'Undis replied, waving him forward. She did not have time to wait for those damnable pleasantries.

0000

The doors of the temple exploded inward, the Matron Mother and her two daughters leading the way. For a split second she thought she saw a cloaked figure standing near the spider shaped fountain, but it was gone before she registered it's presence. Instead all the angry priestesses saw were legless shield bearers, only one living, another dead swordsman, and their Weapons Master on the ground, throat cut open.

"Quickly, Clean the temple! We must begin to pray and fast! All defenses must be reinforced! If any of the houses learn of this, we will be destroyed for certain." The Matron Mother said, waving her daughters into their religious positions. Even as males attended to the cleaning, the three began to pray, offering the souls of those slain to Lolth directly in hopes she will return the gift with her help in the protection of their house.

From behind, Sereph watched it all with a twisted pleasure. He offered his own prayer to Lolth, saying this chaos and the chaos to follow is a gift for his demon goddess. He held his cloak tight as he turned and silently walked out of the door. He may be invisible, but if someone felt his cloak he would have to fight his way out.

The house, being one of the lower in the city, had little to no magical protection, relying only on the watchfulness of its sentries. To Sereph, moving undetected was far more natural than moving in the open, which always made him uncomfortable. He enjoyed that thought as he grabbed some scrolls and a ring out of a drawer in the hallway. He had made it to a balcony he could use to escape by scaling the rough surface of the stone, and without mishap. As he took his first hand and foot holds he smiled, realizing he was about to be attacked.

Running on a high balcony to reinforce the defense of his house, the head mage was already enchanted enough to fight off a small group by himself, and this included the ability to see through concealment and invisibility spells. It was that unfortunate enchantment that showed him a cloaked figure scaling down the side wall. He let loose a barrage of magical missles and prepared a more devastating and useful spell.

Sereph's smile widened as the missles connected with his body, pummeling his innards, and pushing him back into the wall. Clinging to it, he let fly three daggers in quick succession and climbed quickly, using the power of two rings he wore. Their magic coated his fingertips in spider's webbing, allowing him to stick to the wall. He heard the daggers cling to the stone of the balcony, likely repelled by an enchantment on the mage. He doubled his efforts, and nearly reached the balcony before the spellcaster was able to finish his next spell. Hearing the crescendo in the incantation that normally signified a release in power, Sereph shut his eyes tightly and used his innate abilities to cover himself in darkness.

The mage held his hands together at the pointer and thumb, palms outwards and fingers stretched, and shot his single sustained jet of flame into the globe of darkness where Sereph had last been. After a moment he began to direct the flame around the globe, to make sure he at least scorches the assassin, while watching the surrounding area to make sure he didn't leave it. So intently did he keep his vigil, two daggers flying directly out of the darkened area completely escaped his attention, until the first hit his spell and the second pireced his throat. The jet of flame stopped immediately, and he realized the first had been enchanted.

"That's correct. It dispelled the shield spell and the second killed you. I am not one to waste supplies, after all," a suddenly present Sereph said, bending to pick up the dagger of dispelling. "Nor am I one to leave any magical trinkets," he added, pulling a pendant made of bone off of the fallen mages neck. "Tell me the keyword for this, and I shall kill you now."

The mage hesitated only long enough to cough up some blood and fall to his knees, then said, "Call to illing atteuruce. He obeys the keeper of the locket."

Sereph nodded and twisted the dagger in the mages neck, ending his suffering.

"A golem eh? This should cause quite a racket," Sereph said to himself as he stepped over the balcony railing, deciding to levitate down. The two encounters had been enough fun already.

0000

Trium led Matron Mal'Ruk through the halls in the fastest possible route to Tallil's chamber. His brisk pace was gladly met by the visiting Matron, who seemed to have genuinely urgent dealings with Tallil, and wasn't simply throwing her weight around. As they turned a corner Sereph nearly ran into one of the priestesses as he exited a side passage.

"My apologies, mistress Mal'Ruk," he said, bowing more flirtatiously than out of respect.

"Ah, elderboy of the De'Faerors," Matron Jiv'Undis said, then eyeing his cloak adding, "Just returned from some business?"

Matron, welcome to the De'Faeror home," he said, bowing again. "And I was merely out for a pleasant stroll, nothing overly exciting."

Not bothering to respond, Matron Jiv'Undis moved forward and Trium led them. Sereph bowed a third time as they passed, noticing a swing in the hips of the closest priestess. He continued on his way to his room noticeably happier, ready to go through his spoils and fall into reverie. Maybe he would even catch a priestess before they left.

Within moments after bumping into Sereph, the group was at the doors to Tallil's private meeting chamber. Jiv'Undis held out her arms indicating her daughters wait outside and stepped off the magical disc.

Tallil sat on her throne, an annoyed and sour look on her face. She was tired of dealing with these damned people. Between her family and the council, she was ready to just go out into the wild so she wouldn't have to hear another trivial event that occurs within her city, and now the Matron Mother of the second house wants an urgent audience.

The door opened and the second Matron walked in. Tallil straightened, her face stern. "What do you need that is so urgent you are bothering me this late in the cycle, Jiv'Undis Mal'Ruk?"

"My son is targeted for an assassination, and I have been instructed by Lolth to ask for your assistance in defending the cities Archmage and head of Sorcere."


End file.
